A Mickey Finn is a slang term for a drink that has been secretly spiked with alcohol or drugs in order to incapacitate the unsuspecting person drinking it. The term originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is still occasionally used today.
What does Mickey Finn mean?
The phrase “slip someone a Mickey” refers to secretly adding something to someone’s drink in order to make them pass out or become incapacitated. A “Mickey Finn” is the doctored drink itself. The term comes from Mickey Finn, a notorious Chicago bar owner in the early 1900s who was known to drug and rob his customers.
Where did the term Mickey Finn come from?
The origin of the phrase traces back to Chicago in the early 20th century. Mickey Finn owned a bar on South State Street in the city’s Levee vice district. He gained a reputation for drugging customers and robbing them after they became unconscious. His most well-known method was to slip chloral hydrate, also known as “knockout drops,” into people’s drinks.
Mickey Finn became so infamous for this practice that slipping someone a doctored drink eventually became known as “slipping them a Mickey.” And the tampered drinks themselves took on the name “Mickey Finns.”
When did Mickey Finn become a slang term?
References to “Mickey Finn” drinks began appearing in print around 1903. One early example comes from an article in the December 1903 issue of The National Police Gazette, which states:
“Mickey Finn is said to have originated the scheme of ‘slipping a knockout drop’ in a drink.”
The term grew in usage over the next few decades. By the 1930s, “Mickey Finn” was being used as common slang for a surreptitiously drugged drink across the United States.
What drugs were used in Mickey Finns?
In the early 20th century, the most common drug used to spike drinks was chloral hydrate. Chloral hydrate is a sedative that was once used medically as a sleeping agent. In high doses, it has a rapid knockout effect.
Other drugs slipped into Mickey Finns over the years have included:
- Alcohol – Adding extra alcohol to a drink without the person’s knowledge
- Morphine or opium
- Heroin or cocaine
- GHB (gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid)
Adding grain alcohol or distilled spirits to a drink can dramatically increase its potency without being detected by taste. And drugs like morphine, heroin, and GHB are tasteless, odorless, and act quickly to incapacitate someone.
Why were Mickey Finn drugs added to drinks?
Those who spiked drinks with knockout drugs did so with nefarious intent. Reasons for slipping someone a Mickey Finn included:
- Robbing an unsuspecting customer after rendering them unconscious
- Sexually assaulting the victim
- Kidnapping the victim for white slavery or human trafficking
- Neutralizing or pranking an unwitting individual
In Mickey Finn’s case, he would rob and steal from the customers he drugged at his saloon. Other purveyors of Mickey Finns had even more sinister aims to exploit, assault, or traffic their victims.
Are Mickey Finns illegal?
Yes, secretly drugging someone without their consent is very much illegal. Spiking a drink constitutes battery or poisoning under most laws. Anyone caught administering a Mickey Finn today would be subject to criminal charges.
In the past, Mickey Finns were unfortunately common at seedy bars and clubs where owners and staff would take advantage of unsuspecting patrons. But increased regulation and oversight of establishments serving alcohol has made this practice far less common today.
Are Mickey Finns still used today?
While drink spiking still rarely occurs today, the practice is limited compared to its heyday in the early 20th century. A few factors have contributed to declining use of Mickey Finns:
- Better regulation of bars and restaurants makes it riskier to spike drinks.
- Widespread use of credit cards and less habit of carrying cash reduces the robbery motive.
- Increased oversight and policing act as a deterrent.
- People are generally more cautious when accepting drinks from strangers today.
That said, drink spiking does still sometimes occur, often involving “date rape” drugs meant to sexually assault victims. Common date rape drugs used in recent decades include rohypnol (“roofies”), GHB, and ketamine.
Are there any legal uses of Mickey Finn-type drugs?
In the past, drugs like chloral hydrate were occasionally used legally by physicians or psychiatrists to quickly sedate patients. However, their use declined significantly as safer and more controlled sedatives became available.
Today, there are very few legitimate medical uses for surreptitious “knockout” drugs. Any lawful uses would require strict doctor supervision and transparent administration to the patient.
What happens when you ingest a Mickey Finn?
The effects of being slipped a Mickey Finn depend on the type and dosage of drugs used. In general, the victim will experience:
- Rapid onset of dizziness, confusion, or euphoria
- Significant impairment of mental faculties and sharp decline in inhibitions
- Memory loss or inability to recall events
- Passing out and unconsciousness for several hours
- Lethal overdose in cases of very high doses
Coming to after being knocked out with chloral hydrate or other depressants often leaves the person with no memory of what transpired while drugged. This contributed to the popularity of Mickey Finns for robbery, assault, and kidnapping.
How can you detect if a drink has been spiked?
It is very difficult to detect whether a drink contains added drugs. Clear liquors like gin or vodka can mask the presence of soluble drugs. And compounds like chloral hydrate and GHB are colorless, odorless, and nearly impossible to notice in a drink.
Some potential signs a drink may have been tampered with include:
- Strange smell or taste
- Changing from carbonated to non-carbonated
- Spacing out or rapid effects after consuming
- Visible powder, grains, or residue in the glass
However, a doctored drink often looks completely normal and unmodified. The only sure way to prevent a Mickey Finn is to watch your drink at all times and never accept one that has left your sight.
How can you protect yourself from a Mickey Finn?
Some tips for avoiding someone slipping you a Mickey Finn include:
- Watch your drink being prepared and never let it out of your sight.
- Get your own drink directly from the bartender.
- Reject drinks from strangers or vague acquaintances.
- Always keep your hand over the top of your glass when not looking.
- Don’t drink anything that has an unusual taste or appearance.
- Never leave your drink unattended to use the restroom or dance.
- Keep an eye out for suspicious behavior like loitering or watching.
Staying with trusted friends and avoiding taking drinks from the hand of strangers are key to preventing drink tampering. Be cautious at crowded bars and clubs where drinks left alone could easily be adulterated.
Famous Mickey Finn instances in history
Mickey Finn drink spiking gained notoriety through some high-profile cases and references:
- The Michel Finn Bar – Mickey Finn’s establishment in Chicago’s Levee District where he routinely drugged and robbed customers in the early 1900s.
- Lincoln Steffens – The famous journalist wrote about narrowly escaping being drugged at Mickey Finn’s bar in 1919.
- “A Night in Casablanca” – A 1946 Marx Brothers movie features a scene where Harpo Marx secretly spikes a man’s drink.
- James Bond – Multiple Ian Fleming novels reference James Bond getting surreptitiously drugged via spiked drinks.
The legend of Mickey Finn also showed up in songs, cartoons, and throughout pop culture portrayals of seedy, criminal underworlds where drink spiking was common.
Why is it called a “Mickey” specifically?
The use of “Mickey” in Mickey Finn comes from the name of the notorious Chicago bar owner Mickey Finn. However, the name also ties into a history of using “Mickey” as American slang in various contexts.
Some examples of “Mickey” slang include:
- Mickey Mouse – Slang for something small-time, amateurish, or worthless.
- Mickey – 1920s slang for a detective or police officer.
- Mickey Bliss – Slang term for drugs or intoxication.
So referring to a doctored drink as a “Mickey” helped reinforce the surreptitious, underhanded nature of the act. The phrase hinted at something covertly done by criminals, policemen, or other shadowy figures to deceive hapless “Mickey Mouse” victims.
Conclusion
In summary, a “Mickey Finn” refers to a drink secretly spiked with drugs or alcohol in order to knock out the unsuspecting person consuming it. The term has its origins in early 20th century Chicago and the shady practices of bar owner Mickey Finn. While less common today, drink tampering still occurs and caution is warranted when accepting drinks from strangers. Being aware of the Mickey Finn legend provides a colorful glimpse into past eras when nefarious spiking of drinks was distressingly widespread at infamous watering holes and saloons.